espaniol ya mismo….

NO HOPE FOR LARGE-SCALE MINING IN ECUADOR

Communities in Intag Celebrate the Results of Elections

In Ecuador, the government’s candidates won a landslide victory this past Sunday to the Constitutional Assembly, which will be charged with drafting a new constitution.

According to exit polls, the government candidates have won not less than 60% of the130 seats- more than enough for majority vote in the Assembly. In the Intag area, site of Ascendant Copper Corporation Junin mining project, approximately 70% of the population voted for the government candidates- including in the town center of García Moreno, allegedly a stronghold of Ascendant. The government party was seen as to be against large-scale mining. To pass any resolutions in the Assembly a simple majority plus one is necessary.

One of the first actions the Assembly is expected to take is to dissolve Congress.

The main governmental candidate, and ex Minister of Energy and Mines, Alberto Acosta, who easily won his race, has been explicit on his objective to prohibit large-scale mining projects in Ecuador. He made this issue an important part of his campaign. Due to the large vote he received, he will likely preside the Constitutional Assembly.

The Assembly will convene on the first of November, but Intag’s communities in the Intag area are rejoicing over the election results